Computer controlled automatic wrapping material dispensing system for a round baler

Abstract

A wrapping material dispensing system for a round baler which automatically and precisely controls the tension in the wrapping material by controlling the braking force applied to the rotation of a wrapping material roll according to a braking profile. The profile is a function of the discrete phases of wrapping the material about the bale, and at least one characteristic of the wrapping material on the wrapping material roll.

1. An adjustable force wrapping material dispensing system for an agricultural baler, comprising:
 a wrapping material roll mount rotatably supporting a wrapping material roll; 
 a brake device configured and controllably operable for applying a braking force for controlling the rotation of the wrapping material roll as wrapping material is dispensed therefrom for wrapping the material about a bale of cut plant material produced by the baler; and 
 an electronic controller connected in operative control of the brake device, the controller configured for controlling the braking force applied by the brake device to different predetermined levels according to a braking force profile upon the initiation of a wrapping cycle, wherein the different levels are functions of discrete wrapping phases of the cycle, the phases including delivering the wrapping material to the bale, engaging the wrapping material with the bale, and wrapping the wrapping material about the bale respectively, and the type of wrapping material, wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal representative of the type of wrapping material from an operator input device or from a sensor. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured such that the maximum braking force applied by the braking device and a rate of increase of the braking force of the braking force profile applied during the wrapping cycle are determined as a function of the type of wrapping material. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the different levels are also determined as a function of an amount of the wrapping material on the wrapping material roll. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking force profile comprises at least a first braking force level, to be applied during the discrete phase of delivering the wrapping material to the bale;
 a second braking force increasing from the first braking force level toward a third braking force level greater than the first braking force level, to be applied during the discrete phase of engaging the wrapping material with the bale as a wrapping material delivery device is moved from a material insertion position to a wrapping position, wherein the controller determines the speed at which the second braking force increases as a function of the type of wrapping material; and 
 the third braking force level, to be applied during the discrete phase of wrapping the wrapping material about the bale. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the discrete wrapping phases further include a phase of severing the wrapping material from the wrapping material roll and wherein the braking force profile further comprises a predetermined braking force level, to be applied as the wrapping material delivery device is moved from the wrapping position to a severing position during the phase of severing the wrapping material from the wrapping material roll. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined levels comprise at least a first level wherein a tension in the wrapping material is at a first value; a second level wherein the tension is gradually increased from the first value to a second value greater than the first value, and a third level wherein the tension is generally held at the second value, wherein the duration of time over which tension increases on the wrapping material during the second level is determined at least as a function of the type of wrapping material. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the discrete wrapping phases further include a phase of severing the wrapping material from the wrapping material roll and wherein the predetermined levels further include a fourth level determined independently of the third level to be applied during the phase of severing the wrapping material when the wrapping material delivery device is moved from the wrapping position to a severing position. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wrapping material characteristic comprises an input from an operator input display device connected to the controller, wherein the controller selects the brake force profile as a function of the input from the device. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to increase the braking forces while a wrapping insertion mechanism configured for delivering wrapping material to a baling chamber is located at multiple positions within a wrapping cycle. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to receive a signal from at least one sensor representative of the type of the at least one wrapping material selected. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the braking force profiles associated with a plurality of the wrapping material characteristics, respectively, are stored in a memory device. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is operable to automatically access the memory device and select the braking force profile from the plurality of stored braking force profiles based on the at least one characteristic of the wrapping material. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wrapping material is selected from the group consisting of net, twine, stretch film, and plastic film. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the brake device comprises an electric brake. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the brake device comprises an electromagnetic motor. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the brake device comprises a torque resisting device. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the braking force profile is adjustable by an operator input. 
     
     
       18. A method for wrapping a bale of cut plant material formed in a rotating baling chamber of an agricultural round baler comprising the steps of:
 providing a roll of wrapping material rotatably mounted on a wrapping material roll mount associated with the baler; 
 delivering wrapping material to the baling chamber and allowing substantially free rotation of the wrapping material roll for facilitating initial engagement of the wrapping material with the bale; 
 automatically opposing the rotation of the wrapping material roll according to a first predetermined profile as the wrapping material begins to wrap about the bale, wherein opposing the rotation increases a tension in the wrapping material to a first predetermined level, wherein the duration of time over which tension increases on the wrapping material from substantially free rotation to the first predetermined level is varied by the controller as a function of the type of wrapping material; and 
 maintaining the tension in the wrapping material at the first predetermined level as the wrapping material wraps the bale; 
 wherein the first predetermined profile and the first predetermined level are a function of at least the type of the wrapping material. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises automatically opposing the rotation of the wrapping material roll according to a second predetermined profile to a second predetermined level as the wrapping material is severed from the wrapping material roll, wherein opposing the rotation varies the tension in the wrapping material to a second predetermined level, and the second predetermined profile and second predetermined level are functions of at least one characteristic of the wrapping material. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein an electronic controller is in operative control of opposing the rotation of the wrapping material roll, and the controller is operable to select the first and second predetermined profiles and the first and second predetermined levels from a plurality of selections based on the at least one characteristic of the wrapping material. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 18 , wherein a torque resistor opposes the rotation of the wrapping material roll. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 18 , wherein an electronic controller is in operative control of opposing the rotation of the wrapping material roll, and the controller is operable to select the first predetermined profile and the first predetermined level from a plurality of selections based on the at least one characteristic of the wrapping material. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 18  wherein the first predetermined profile and the first predetermined level are adjustable by an operator input.